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Community darkroom
The Darkroom
946 Calle Amanecer, San Clemente, CA 92673
Film-development lab boasting mail-in and online ordering options for 35mm and other formats.
What this shop offers
Every line below is evidence-backed — pulled from what customers wrote in their reviews of The Darkroom, or from the shop's own website. Call ahead if a specific job matters.
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Darkroom 21 mentions
“I've tried a smaller developing spot online once thinking they'd put more care but the photos weren't exposed as well as I've seen with darkroom.”
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Develops film 5 mentions
“I'm a very busy traveling wedding photographer and I can always count on the darkroom for my film developing.”
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Scanning & digitizing 5 mentions
“Within a few days of shipping I received an email that my photos have been scanned and uploaded. The photos can be viewed on their website or on the mobile app.”
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Classes & workshops
listed on their own site
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listed on their own site
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listed on their own site
What photographers highlight
The themes that come up again and again in reviews of The Darkroom.
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Fast turnaround 2 mentions
“I got a notification that it entered production the following Monday and I got my scans in the app the next day.”
Film developing at The Darkroom
What we could verify about how film is handled here. Blank lines mean the shop hasn't published it — not that the answer is no.
| Developed in-house | Yes — film is processed on site |
|---|---|
| Scanners | Noritsu |
| Turnaround | Same-day developing mentioned |
| Negatives returned | Yes — negatives come back to you |
| Cheapest developing price found | $6.95 a roll |
Brands mentioned at The Darkroom
Photographic brands named on the shop's own site or in customer reviews. Stock moves — call before making a trip for a specific body or lens.
What customers say
So excited to get my first photos back from The Darkroom, they are officially my new go-to! I was looking for an alternative since my local Walgreens where I used to send in my film went out of business, a friend recommended The Darkroom and I wish I had been doing this sooner!
On a recent trip to my parent's house, I found my dad's old Yashica MG-2 lying around. Got myself a Kodak color film and took it on a trip. Heard very good reviews about The Darkroom from my colleagues and friends, so decided to use their development and scanning (enhanced) service.
Absolutely thrilled with my first two orders from The Darkroom. I’m a relative newbie to film and only began really taking my photography seriously within the last year, but have sent a handful of my earlier rolls off to different labs with mixed success (mostly due to my own inexperience in capturing the photos to…
So glad I found the Darkroom! Their service was relatively cheap (~$20) which included digital scans of 35 photos and shipping from FL to CA. I sent my roll on a Tuesday, it got delivered Saturday of the same week.
Hours & location
Opening hours
| Monday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–2:30 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Getting there
Other film labs and camera stores near The Darkroom
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